Solar Sinter uses sand and sun for 3D printing

A student named Markus Kayser created an awesome project for a MA Design Products project. I hope he graduates with honors simply for the coolness of this project. Kayser created a device that can take advantage of the two unlimited resources out in the desert - sun and sand. The project is dubbed Solar Sinter and is a 3D printer powered by the sun and it uses the sand as the medium to create the objects it prints.

The Solar Sinter was completed in the middle of May and then Kayser and his creation headed out into the Sahara desert in the area of Siwa, Egypt to put his creation to the test for two weeks. The concept worked and creates a cool process that can be harnessed for the design and creation of 3D items that people need. The device uses solar energy to turn the sand into a form of glass.

The Solar Sinter uses open source ReplicatorG software, which is a 3D printing program. The finished project is on display at the Royal College of Art graduate exhibit right now. Check out the video below to see the solar Sinter in action.